Paths That Lead To Another
by YunoKnifeQueenxx
Summary: Spending his wife's last minutes with her in the hospital, Prince Wilfred can only think of tragedy striking from her loss. The desperate thoughts of not being able to continue his life afterwards, he only learns that this whole time, there has been one special person in his life besides his wife who can bring him back to life, saving him from a fall into depression. [ONESHOT]


"In which these words I speak to you, I beg of you to listen. Wilfred...please. I want you to look at me. Look at me like you always have. As if I was never sick. Like this moment happening right now was just a false vision corrupting the depths of your brain...Wilfred...speak to me!"

Her cold hand took mine. The hand in which had lost all it's colour. Her chipped nail polish in which she would paint occasionally to satisfy her needs. The slender fingers that still hadn't lost their soft, soothing touch. A sense I could only recognize, even by closing my eyes. Though I hadn't wished to. I wanted to look at her before me while I could. The woman who held my only meaning of life, the woman who taught me how to view the world in a positive aspect.

So I reached out to touch her drained face, still smooth to the touch. I would never view her as being anything other than the woman I had first glanced at with my own eyes. How her brown locks gently framed her face, allowing all her admiring features to stand out within any room you approached. The chocolate brown eyes that would drag you in, no matter how far you had been. The lips I would taste upon mine the various times we would spend together, in a world that seemed to only exist between us. How could I say goodbye so easily to such treasures?

"I...I can't let you go. You can't leave. Not yet. Why? Why has this world placed such a cruel, undesirable fate upon us? Why is the woman I have come to love so deeply being dragged away from me so forcefully?" I could only express this side of myself she could only recognize. The cold, indifferent shadow of emotions I would wear. Something I had never came to see on a remarkable woman like herself.

"Wilfred...I love you. I have loved you in ways that may be unknown to the world. A love where as I lay in this position, I would be so selfish to take you with me. But it is also a love where I would only wish to see you continue on without me by your side." There she spoke, a glistening tear falling gracefully down her cheek, a wet trail left behind. She was in no way selfish. If only one selfish person could stand in this gruesome hospital room, it would remarkably, without a doubt, be myself.

But as my eyes scanned the heart monitor a countless amount of times, the strong beats I had gotten relief from soon degraded into slow paced beats. I had felt the sickening sensation surround the thin layer of my stomach, soon growing to fill my entire gut. But as I looked into her eyes, I could only see the life she so desperately held onto. She wasn't paying attention to what was happening to her. She hadn't cared to glance at any other surroundings besides me.

Tears fell onto both mine, and her shivering hand that clasped and entwined desperately with my fingers. Her eyes were half closed, seemingly unable to keep them wide anymore, her strength slowly deteriorating. But as she opened her mouth with the last remaining strength she carried for both myself and her, the familiar smile I had known so well these years came to show itself.

"If I may have one last request...may you kiss me?"

That was a request I had no hesitation in fulfilling. Maybe due to the fact it had been a desire of mine as well. But I knew by kissing her like this, it would never solve the issue of loneliness I felt just by thinking of her no longer being with me. How from now on, I would wake up to an empty, cold side of the bed. The spare toothbrush she would use that would remain in perfect condition from no longer being used. Her wardrobe of flashy dresses I only wished I could see her in one last time. The feeling of her bare body in my cradling hands, feeling every inch of her body in just only my grasp. It would be no more.

"I will never love again. You will be the only woman to hold my heart. The only woman to hold our country's heart. I...don't know how I will live every day knowing you won't be there." I could no longer control my sobs soon after our lips parted. My speech was barely audible. I could only focus on her weaker grip on my hand, her loud breath soon turning into a hush tone. I could only grit my teeth from the emotional pain spreading through my body.

"I'll...be there." Her regular tone had now turned into a whisper. "I'll be with you. Death is the only thing...that would ever keep me away from you. But...I will not let that become true. Is this not proof?" Pulling up her other hand that hadn't kept a hold onto mine, her half shut eyes motioned to the wedding ring on her finger. "As long as this is on my finger, it will always keep us together. I vowed to love you, didn't I?"

"Yes...as did I." I chuckled through my tears, clasping tighter on her bitter cold hand. I had known that when she squeezed back, her feelings were always genuine. "How will I find the strength to live without you?! How will I spend every each and every minute knowing that you aren't physically there with me?" My true feelings had made themselves present yet again, even as I tried my hardest to be strong in her last few minutes. I hadn't wished to complain anymore.

She moved her hand up to cup my cheek gracefully, yet weak. Her tearful expression could only try it's hardest to smile for me. "You are stronger than you think Wilfred...I've come to love you much so due to that." Her hand then suddenly fell away from my cheek, causing the rapid race of my heart to speed up more and more, only wishing that's how hers could function at this current time.

"One...last request." She breathed, as if she could no longer carry on a full sentence any longer. Our time was running out. But it was only until her last and final request that I finally felt my heart shatter into the last remainder that struggled to stand inside of me.

"Give our daughter...the everlasting love I can no longer give."

Those were her last words until the last noise in the room was the heart monitor, a continuing sound of failure, soon followed by my louder sobs.

"Goodbye. My love." I whispered close to her face before kissing her discoloured lips yet again, knowing that would officially be the last time I would feel such a sensation.

* * *

" _We bring you this broadcast with great sadness to inform the people of Charles that our queen has passed away in hospital yesterday evening. King Wilfred has refused to speak about the devastation, though the queen's family has agreed to reach out to us."_

"Making me look like the bad guy...Damn it!" I could only grab the nearest vase in which stood on the freshly polished wood side bed table, aiming directly for the wall above the television broadcast. "Damn it...damn it..." My knees buckled, soon finding myself collapse onto the ground below me, tear droplets appearing with each fall. Noticeable on the light blue carpet, I hadn't bothered to care.

The crash must have been audible enough to catch the attention of a passerby in the corridor. A small delicate knock echoed throughout the bedroom, feeling as if a shadow had cast itself down upon me to restrict me from moving. The knocking continued and continued, a growing sense of madness and irritation building up inside my boiling veins.

"Who is it?!" I yelled in a stronger tone, my eyes glued to the gold doorknob that slowly twisted. As I watched as the door hadn't opened fully, a voice rang out behind it. A recognizable voice I knew so well. The voice that seemed so familiar, yet, one I hadn't bothered to speak to for the time I had been brooding with myself.

"P-Papa...?"

I froze in spot, yet, I could not find my legs to pick themselves up from the ground. But as I heard the door slowly open, a rush of wind flying in, I gazed over at the pair of white delicate shoes, ruffled white socks, and the small hem of a baby blue dress. Her eyes were glistening with tears, as if she had heard the terrible news that I only wished I could tell her myself. Though, my terrible selfishness let the broadcast fill her mind.

"Mama...mama is gone?" I watched her footsteps hesitantly walk towards me, as if frightened by me. From my alarming voice that rang out towards her from outside the door, I hadn't blamed her for being scared. Yet, as soon as I heard that gut wrenching voice of sadness, I heard a voice echo inside my head, stealing my attention for only a brief second.

" _You are stronger than you think Wilfred...Give our daughter the everlasting love I can no longer give."_

Maybe it had been her guiding me, because soon after, my legs found the strength to pick themselves off the uncomfortable floor, finding a much better source of comfort. Running over to her a short distant, I pulled her into my arms tightly, feeling her hands cling onto my back desperately. Her loud sobs soon filled the room, while wet tears had fallen onto the shoulder of my white dress shirt. My hand cradled the back of her chestnut brown hair, much like the colour of the woman I loved.

"Shh...papa's here now. I miss her too." I comforted her in which a father could only do for his child. I stroked her small, delicate back, in a hush tone that I could only hope would put her at ease. The more she cried, the more tears had fallen out of my own eyes. We hadn't minded being in each others arms like this. From this point on, it would be a normal occasion. I would never let her be alone, or cry alone. I wouldn't allow her to keep her feelings bottled inside anymore.

"I will act more like a father figure to you. I won't let you cry alone anymore." I pulled away from our hug to look into her tear filled blue eyes, much like the colour of mine. By speaking with her, it was much like speaking to myself in an unknown way. "Mama's last words to me was to ensure I give you as much love as possible. That is what I shall plan to do."

She sniffled, reaching her much tinier hand to wipe away the still tear that must have rested on my cheek. I did the same for her, only to reach in my dress pant pocket for a small white handkerchief to dab her tears dry. "I always told your mother she still looked beautiful, even while she was crying. The same applies for you."

"...Don't leave me too daddy. Please always stay with me!"

"Daddy will always be with you."

And I did stay with her. I stayed with her for as long as possible, never to leave her side. We were able to remember her with both frowns and smiles on our faces, tears followed soon behind. I could only thank our daughter for bringing me back up until I may no longer have been able to function. This whole time, I had a reason to live. I could only hope that someday, she would find the one person who was special to her, as much as she was to me. Both her and her mother. I would never let her experience pain or discomfort.

That's when I heard a voice in my head saying "Thank you."

It was her.


End file.
